I very much welcome the Citizens Advice’s new Universal Support service called ‘Help to Claim’ which was rolled out across the constituency this week. Help to Claim offers free, confidential and impartial support for people who need advice or practical support making their Universal Credit (UC) applications and getting their first full correct payment on time. People can get Help to Claim over the phone, online, or face to face through local Citizens Advice by fully trained staff.
I am delighted that the Department of Work and Pensions is partnering with Citizens Advice to deliver this support service. I know there have been some teething problems as the new system of Universal Credit is rolled out and I think this will make a huge difference to people who are unsure about how the system works or who are having difficulties ensuring they receive regular payments. I would certainly encourage anyone in this situation to make use of this new service which replaces the existing Universal Support Model. There is an additional benefit from Help to Claim which is that it will also help signpost and connect claimants to other support services within Citizens Advice or through other trusted bodies where a need is identified.
I have also taken up constituents’ concerns with ministers about problems relating to those who are paid on a four weekly rather than a monthly cycle. This means that they can receive two wage payments within an assessment period resulting in a drastic reduction or no UC payment in the same month. Although they do receive a larger payment the following month in compensation, Mr Hollinrake has told ministers that it is having a very negative impact on some claimant’s cashflow.
Help to Claim can be accessed through the Citizens Advice free phone line and web chat from 8am - 6pm Monday to Friday on 0800 144 8 444 or via Web chat (England and Wales): citizensadvice.org.uk/helptoclaim
